1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a gyratory crusher, which includes a crushing head which is fixedly attached to an upper portion of a substantially vertical shaft and on which a first crushing shell is mounted, and a frame on which a second crushing shell is mounted, the second crushing shell defining, together with the first crushing shell, a crushing gap, the width of which is adjustable by changing the vertical position of the first crushing shell with respect to the vertical position of the second crushing shell by at least one adjusting device. The gyratory crusher further includes a thrust bearing which is made up of horizontal bearing plates and which is located between the vertical shaft and a piston arranged vertically below the vertical shaft. The thrust bearing is adapted to transmit forces from the crushing head to the frame.
The present disclosure further relates to a method of supporting a substantially vertical shaft in a gyratory crusher.
2. Background Art
A gyratory crusher of the kind stated above can be used for crushing, for example, ore and rock material into smaller size.
WO 99/22869 discloses a gyratory crusher, in which a crushing head is mounted on a gyrating vertical shaft. At its lower end the vertical shaft is supported on a thrust bearing including three horizontal bearing plates. A first bearing plate is attached to the vertical shaft, a second bearing plate is attached to a piston arranged below the vertical shaft, and a third bearing plate is slideably and rotatably arranged between the first and second bearing plates. The first and second bearing plates are generally made of a bearing metal, such as bronze, and the third bearing plate is often made of steel. The piston arranged below the vertical shaft forms part, along with a cylinder, of a hydraulic piston arrangement, by means of which the vertical position of the vertical shaft can be shifted for setting a desired crushing gap between the first and the second crushing shell.
A drawback of the crusher described above is that the horizontal bearing plates that are part thereof are exposed to considerable wear, which requires frequent replacement of the thrust bearing at a high cost. Furthermore, the capacity of the crusher is limited by the fact that the bearing plates can only withstand loads up to a certain level. Moreover, a great deal of heat is generated in the thrust bearing and this heat needs to be cooled off by means of oil, which in turn needs to be cooled.